Advanced user interface and control paradigm including contextual collaboration for multiple service operator extended functionality offers

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems for presenting information regarding multiple categories of content are provided. In addition, methods and systems that suggest activities by a user in relation to content and determined affinity for content in relation to user contacts are provided. A user interface application is provided that operates to display status and/or historical information regarding content, suggested activities, and suggested contacts. The user can interact with the interface to access detailed information and to act on suggestions. In addition the user can interact with the interface to share content to other users, including users participating in real time communication sessions.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.______, filed ______, entitled “ADVANCED USER INTERFACE AND CONTROLPARADIGM FOR MULTIPLE SERVICE OPERATOR EXTENDED FUNCTIONALITY OFFERS”and further identified as attorney docket number 4366DMG-155, and toU.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed ______, entitled“ADVANCED USER INTERFACE AND CONTROL PARADIGM INCLUDING DIGITAL RIGHTSMANAGEMENT FEATURES FOR MULTIPLE SERVICE OPERATOR EXTENDED FUNCTIONALITYOFFERS” and further identified as attorney docket number 4366DMG-157,the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entirety.

FIELD

The invention relates generally to the presentation of informationrelated to content available through a common data pipeline. Additionalaspects of the invention relate to the interoperability of a userinterface application and user profiles.

BACKGROUND

Multiple Service Operators (MSOs), e.g., cable companies, are working totransform their value proposition from one dominated by basicsubscriptions and equipment leases to a customer service driven valuemodel. One of the reasons for this is the recent ruling by the FederalCommunications Commission (FCC), which has been upheld in court, thatMSOs adopt the Open Cable Application Platform (OCAP) and that Set-TopBoxes (STBs) be open to other uses. With larger pipes, more powerfulSTBs, and improved customer service applications residing in those STBs,the MSO can begin to dominate the other Local inter-Exchange Carriers(LECs). This enhanced customer service value equation is viewed to beone key to continued MSO growth, increased revenue and increasedmargins. OCAP is a new paradigm that will allow MSOs to create, or havemade, and deploy, a whole suite of new interactive communicationsservices that can drive new revenue streams with higher margins for theMSOs. The OCAP middleware, written in the Java® language, willfacilitate “write once, use anywhere” application software to providenew features and services created by third party developers.

The OpenCable™ Platform specification can be found athttp://www.opencable.com/ocap/, “OpenCable Application PlatformSpecification (OCAP) 1.1,” which is incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

OCAP is an operating system layer designed for consumer electronics,such as STBs, that connect to a cable television system. Generally, thecable company controls what OCAP programs can be run on the STB. OCAPprograms can be used for interactive services such as eCommerce, onlinebanking, program guides and digital video recording. Cable companieshave required OCAP as part of the CableCard 2.0 specification, and theyindicate that two way communications by third party devices on theirnetworks will require them to support OCAP.

More specifically, OCAP is a Java® language-based software/middlewareportion of the OpenCable initiative. OCAP is based on the GloballyExecutable MHP (GEM)-standard, as defined by CableLabs. Because OCAP isbased on GEM, OCAP shares many similarities with the Multimedia HomePlatform (MHP) standard defined by the Digital Video Broadcasting(DVB)-project. The MHP was developed by the DVB Project as the world'sfirst open standard for interactive television. It is a Java®language-based environment which defines a generic interface betweeninteractive digital applications and the terminals on which thoseapplications execute. MHP was designed to run on DVB platforms but therewas a demand to extend the interoperability it offers to other digitaltelevision platforms. This demand gave rise to GEM, or GloballyExecutable MHP, a framework which allows other organizations to definespecifications based on MHP.

One such specification is OCAP which has been adopted by the US cableindustry. In OCAP the various DVB technologies and specifications thatare not used in the US cable environment are removed and replaced bytheir functional equivalents, as specified in GEM. On the terrestrialbroadcast side, CableLabs and the Advanced Television Systems Committee(ATSC) have worked together to define a common GEM-based specification,Advanced Communications Application Platform (ACAP), which will ensuremaximum compatibility between cable and over-the-air broadcastreceivers.

Packet Cable 2.0 is a specification based on the wireless ThirdGeneration Partnership Program (3GPP) Internet protocol MultimediaSubsystem (IMS), which uses Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) for sessioncontrol. By using SIP, MSOs can create the foundation of a servicedelivery platform on top of their existing DOCSIS (Data Over CableService Interface Specification) or cable modem service. Two of the SIPfeatures that are particularly important to this invention areextensibility and interoperability. These SIP features are importantbecause new messages and attributes can be easily defined andcommunications between previously incompatible endpoints arefacilitated.

Another development that sets the stage for the disclosed inventions isthe processing power, multimedia codecs and storage capabilities of theSTBs. Many of the more advanced STBs have Digital Video Recorders (DVRs)based on hard disk drives or flash memory that provide many gigabytes ofavailable storage. They also have advanced audio/video codecs designedto handle the requirements of High Definition Television (HDTV).Processors such as the Broadcom BCM7118 announced in January 2007,provide over 1000 Dhrystone mega-instructions per second (DMIPS) worthof processing power to support OCAP, new customer applications, andDOCSIS 2.0 and DSG advanced mode. The Broadcom chip, and other generalpurpose and application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) processorsused for STBs, provide powerful security capabilities such as theemerging Polycipher Downloadable Conditional Access Security (DCAS)system. DCAS eliminates the need for a CableCard and-supports multipleconditional access systems and retail products.

SUMMARY

According to embodiments of the present invention, systems and methodsthat provide a unified view of information related to multiple mediatypes and/or media sessions available from a common pipeline areavailable. More particularly, a communication node is described that isinterconnected to a communication pipeline, such as a multiple serviceoperator (MSO) cable, that provides multiple digital services or bundledservices. As examples, these services can include cable television,telephony, digital data (Internet), and the like. A display associatedwith the communication node presents information to a user regarding thecurrent or historical status of a plurality of the different media typescarried by the pipeline in relation to the communication node, and/orcontent carried by a plurality of the different media types. The displaycan operate in connection with a unified interface application runningon the communication node. In accordance with further embodiments,profile information is used by the unified interface application toprovide enhanced information with respect to available content oractions regarding content. For example, an affinity can be determinedfor certain content or events based on profile information, and thedetermined affinity can influence the display of information. Moreover,the affinity information can be used in connection with using andintegrating social media, blogs, and other social groupings with theextended functionality bundles offered by MSOs.

In accordance with further embodiments, the sharing of content withother users is facilitated. In addition, embodiments provide a view ofin-process communications. Sharing of content with other users can beperformed through the manipulation of icons or other representations ofcontent, users, and actions presented by the display in connection withthe operation of the unified interface application. Accordingly,embodiments of the invention facilitate multimedia, multipartycommunications, collaboration and sharing by providing a unifiedinterface application through which such functions and operations can beperformed. In addition, embodiments of the disclosed invention canoperate to group content and/or users according to various criteria,including criteria resulting from or associated with affinity groupings.

In an exemplary embodiment, the communication node comprises a set-topbox (STB) associated with a television display and a remote control,and/or an auxiliary display, for example provided by a tablet computer,although other arrangements and configurations are encompassed byembodiments of the present invention. Information regarding thedifferent media types can be presented as a series of tiles or activitywindows presented simultaneously by the display. The displayedinformation can include listings of available content, such as currentlyavailable television programming, programming guides listing televisionprogramming available in the future, available television contentrecorded as part of a digital video recorder (DVR) function of thecommunication node, listings of programming scheduled to be recorded aspart of the DVR function, information regarding in-progress telephonysessions, such as an identification of parties to the telephoneconference and an elapsed time of the telephone conference, informationregarding past telephony sessions, in progress games, and recordings ofgaming sessions. The display can also include tiles that presentinformation regarding Internet sessions conducted in connection with thecommunication pipeline. Information regarding Internet sessions caninclude a historical listing of sites that have been visited, anindication of sites currently being accessed, and informationcharacterizing the content of sites. In addition, the presentation ofinformation regarding content can include a representation of thatcontent, for example in the form of a frame or segment of video, ascreen scrape taken from an Internet session, or a series of frames orscreen scrapes displayed simultaneously.

Displayed information can also include content that is identified basedon a determined affinity and/or grouped according to various additionalcriteria. The content is available for selection, entirely or in part,for further actions by a user interfacing with the display associatedwith the communication node and the operation of the unified interfaceapplication. In addition, other users or contacts with whom the user ofthe communication node can interact can be displayed. These other usersor contacts can be arranged according to groups, such as affinitygroups. The sharing of content with selected other users can beperformed by dragging and dropping selected content in a spotlight area,and by dragging and dropping one or more contacts or a group of contactsinto the spotlight area. In addition, the type of sharing can bedetermined through a selection made by the user. Different types ofsharing can include providing a link, sharing the content itself,providing a notification regarding the content, or other actions. Inaddition, the content can be shared in part, for example by selectingonly some portion or series of frames (e.g., where the content comprisesvideo content).

Profile information can be stored for one or more users or personas. Theprofile information can be generated automatically, can be taken fromuser input, or can be the result of a combination of automatic andmanual means. The automatic generation of a profile can includemonitoring activity surrounding the various media types supported by thesystem. Input obtained from a user can include selections from menus orother input indicating specific likes and dislikes of the user,permissions, or preferences. Profiles can be specific to individualusers of the system, or can be directed to different groups or personasof users. For ease of description, the term “personas” will be used toreference an object of a profile regardless of whether that object is anindividual, particular characteristics or alternate profiles of anindividual, a group of individuals, or an entity other than anindividual. Regardless of the object of a profile or the mechanism bywhich the profile is generated, the profile information includesinformation that can be applied by application programming, such as aunified interface application, executed by the communication node or aprocessor provided by some other node in order to determine an affinitywith respect to particular items of content.

The determined affinity or affinity level can be used to presentinformation to a user suggesting programming that the user might like toaccess in real time or record for later viewing. In addition, affinityinformation can be used to suggest websites, events, activities that auser may like to access or participate in, or actions that a user maylike to take. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention,visibility to such available content, including websites, events, oractions, can be obtained through the Internet access provided by thecommunication pipeline. Moreover, the affinity information can becombined with presence information concerning other users in order tohighlight activities that different users might like to engage in as agroup, that different users might like to comment on to one another, orthat otherwise suggests common affinities that can be highlighted andpresented to a user, to encourage social network activity or otherinteraction.

Additional features and advantages of embodiments of the presentinvention will become more readily apparent from the followingdescription, particularly when taken together with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary content system according to embodimentsof the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates components of an exemplary communication nodeaccording to embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary profile according to embodiments of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a depiction of an exemplary user interface according toembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a depiction of another exemplary user interface according toembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a depiction of another exemplary user interface according toembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating aspects of the operation of a systemaccording to embodiments of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating additional aspects of the operationof a system according to embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary content system 100. The system 100comprises one or more trusted entities 104, one or more content/serviceproviders 108, and a communication node 112 such as a set-top box, allinterconnected by a data pipeline or link 116 and one or more networks120. The communication node 112 is connected to one or more endpoints122, such as a television 124, a personal computer 128, a stereo 132,telephone 136, or in general any other electronic device as representedby box 140. Associated with the communication node 112 are one or moreprofiles 144, as will be discussed in detail hereinafter.

Typically, the content/service provider 108 provides content, such avideo content, to a user via the data pipeline 116 and the communicationnode 112. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention expands onthis concept and in conjunction with one or more profiles 144 providesenhanced content capabilities through the communication node 112. Acontent/service provider 108 can, in an exemplary embodiment, comprise acable company that provides content and services on a subscriptionand/or pay-per-view basis. The content and services can includescheduled television programming, on demand television programming,Internet connectivity, and voice telephony services. In addition, thecontent/service provider 108 can provide connectivity to thecommunication node 112 to international networks, such as the Internetas part of an Internet or digital data connectivity service, and thepublic switched telephony network (PSTN) as part of a digital telephonyor voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) telephony service. Accordingly,communication node 112 connectivity to at least some networks 120 can bethrough the content service provider 108.

In general, the communication node or set-top box 112 is capable ofreceiving content, such as video content, as well as providing orenabling services such as access to the Internet, telephony service, andthe like. The communication node 112 can also handle controlinformation, including information received from a user that is passedto the network 120 and/or the content/service provider 108. As will bedescribed in greater detail elsewhere herein, the communication node 112generally incorporates or is associated with hardware runningapplication programming to perform various operations of the system 100.The communication node 112 may also be capable of providing servicessuch that, for example, the user located at one of the attached devicesor endpoints 122 utilizes the communication node 112 to assist with theordering, consumption and/or management of goods or services.

Furthermore, and in accordance with an optional exemplary embodiment,trusted relationships can be established between the content/serviceprovider 108 and one or more trusted entities 104. For example, thecontent/service provider 108, such as a cable company, can negotiatetrusted relationships with various service providing entities. Upon thecompletion of various checks and assurances from the service providingentities, the various entities could be listed as a trusted entity 104,at which point service requests made via the communication node 112, inconjunction with a profile 144, would be handled in a different manner.In accordance with still other embodiments, a trusted entity 104 cannegotiate a trusted relationship with a user and/or a persona associatedwith a particular communication node 112. A trusted entity 104 can alsocomprise an Internet service provider or other content service provider,in addition to the content service provider associated with thecommunication node 112, or can be individual users, groups of users, orentities with whom a persona associated with the communication node 112exchanges content or other information.

The association of a profile 144 with the communication node 112 allows,for example, a richer communications environment to be provided to auser. This can include the presentation of information to the user, forexample in the form of a pop up that provides a suggestion that the usermay like to perform some additional action based on an affinity derivedat least in part from a profile 144. Moreover, at least some aspects ofthat additional action can be performed through or in connection withthe communication node 112. Profile information 144 can also be used toexchange information with one or more trusted entities 104 for exampleto exchange information between users or groups of users on the system100, that are potentially associated with the same or differentcommunication nodes 112, in which the users share a common interest oraffinity. Therefore, in accordance with at least some embodiments,profiles 144 used in conjunction with one or more applications on thecommunications node 112, and potentially used in conjunction withinformation from a trusted entity 104 and/or the content serviceprovider 108, provide a richer experience for a user of thecommunication node 112 for interacting with one or more content/serviceproviders 108, trusted entities 104, other entities or users, or ingeneral any entity where a richer experience can be provided based onthe information available via the profile 144.

FIG. 2 illustrates in greater detail components of an exemplarycommunication node 112. In general, a communication node 112 cancomprise a general purpose computer or server device that implements,for example, a set-top box. Accordingly, the communication node 112 caninclude a processor 204. The processor 204 may comprise a generalpurpose programmable processor or controller for executing applicationprogramming or instructions. As a further example, the processor 204 maycomprise a specially configured application specific integrated circuit(ASIC) or other integrated circuit, a digital signal processor, a hardwired electronic or logic circuit such as a discrete element circuit, aprogrammable logic device or gate array, such as a PLD, PLA, FPGA, PAL,special purpose computer, or the like. The processor 204 generallyfunctions to run programming code or instructions implementing variousfunctions of the communication node 112.

A communication node 112 may also include memory 208 for use inconnection with the execution of application programming by theprocessor 204, and for the temporary or long term storage of programinstructions and/or data. As examples, the memory 208 may comprise RAM,SDRAM, or other solid state memory. Alternatively or in addition, datastorage 212 may be provided. In accordance with embodiments of thepresent invention, data storage 212 can contain programming code orinstructions implementing various of the applications or functionsexecuted or performed by the communication node 112. Like the memory208, the data storage 212 may comprise a solid state memory device ordevices. Alternatively or in addition, the data storage 212 may comprisea hard disk drive or other random access memory.

In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the datastorage 212 can include various applications and data. For example, thedata storage 212 can include a unified interface application 216. Asdescribed in greater detail elsewhere herein, the unified interfaceapplication 216 can operate to present information to a user regardingreal time media, status and/or historical information related to realtime media, stored media programming, the status and/or history ofcommunications, the status and/or history of Internet sessions, or othercurrent or historical status information related to content accessiblethrough or in association with a data pipeline 116, a content serviceprovider 108 and/or a network 120 interconnected to the communicationnode 112 by the data pipeline 116. The unified interface application 216can also operate to determine and provide suggested content and/oractions, for example through the determination of an affinity forparticular content or actions in association with information stored aspart of profile data 144.

The data storage 212 can also include a digital video recorder (DVR)function or application 220. The DVR 220 can be used to store videoinformation, as conventionally known. For example, the DVR 220 can beused to make a recording of programming or other content for personaltime shifting purposes of a user. A menu module 224 can be included toprovide an interface, such as a graphical user interface, that can bedisplayed, for example in association with the operation of the unifiedinterface application 216, to allow a user of the communication node 112to access programming and control aspects of the operation of thecommunication node 112. For example, the menu module 224 can presentinteractive program guides, and can provide an interface for theoperation of the DVR 220.

A modem function or application 228 can be provided to facilitateconnectivity between, for example, networks 120 accessed through thecommunication pipeline 116 and the communication node 112 and/orinterconnected devices 122. For instance, a modem function 228 cancomprise a cable modem that facilitates interconnection of an endpoint122 such as a personal computer 128, for example via a local Ethernetnetwork, to the communication node 112, and in turn to the contentservice provider 108, networks 120, or other networks or entities, viathe data pipeline 116.

A telephony application 232 can similarly be provided to facilitateinterconnection of a telephone, soft phone, video phone or othertelephony endpoint 136 to a network or entity via the data pipeline 116.In addition, an Internet browser application 234 can be provided. Othercommunication applications and/or functions 236 can also be provided, toenable the communication node 112 to be interconnected to and/or operatein association with the different communication endpoints 124 to 140, orother nodes. Other communication applications 236 can also includesupport for communications by the communication node 112 over linksand/or networks in addition to those accessed using the data pipeline116. For example, a function to enable communications over the publicswitched telephony network can be provided.

Profile data 144 can also be stored in data storage 212 included in orassociated with the set-top box 112. As described in greater detailelsewhere herein, profile data 144 can include information defining orassociated with the different personas of users or user groups, tofacilitate interaction of such users or user groups with content orother users or user groups via the communication node 112.

A communication node 112 can also include one or more communicationinterfaces 240. For example, a communication interface 240interconnecting the communication node 112 to the data pipeline 116 canbe provided. As can be appreciated by one of skill in the art afterconsideration of the present disclosure, a communication interface 240interconnecting the communication node 112 to the data pipeline 116 cansupport transfers of data comprising, for example, televisionprogramming, voice telephony, Internet browsing sessions, and controlsignals regarding transfers of such content and/or the operation andinteraction of the communication node 112 with respect to the contentservice provider 108 and/or other entities. As further examples, acommunication interface 240 can include an interface that interconnectsthe communication node 112 to one or more communication endpoints 122that are interconnected to the content service provider 108 or otherentities via the connection to the data pipeline 116 provided by or inassociation with the communication node 112. Accordingly, acommunication interface 240 can include a plain old telephone system(POTS) interface for interconnecting a telephone to the communicationnode 112. As another example, a communication interface 240 can includea network interface card (NIC) or other network interface to facilitateinterconnection of a personal computer 128 or some other network node,device or endpoint 122 to the communication node 112 via a local areanetwork connection, such as a wired Ethernet connection. Examples ofother network nodes or endpoints 122 interconnected to the communicationnode 112 through a communication interface 140 therefore include awireless access point, for example to provide a Wi-Fi network, a wiredEthernet hub, and the like. Therefore, an endpoint 122 can beintermounted to the communication node 112 through an intermediate nodeand/or network. As yet another example, a communication interface 240can include an interface that provides broadcast media to a digital oranalog television 124 set via a coaxial cable interconnection. As yetanother example, a communication interface 240 can include an infraredinterface, for example for receiving control inputs from a useroperating a remote control device. Other communication interfaces 240can be provided, depending on the requirements of the communicationendpoint 124 to 140 or other device to be interconnected to thecommunication node 112.

A communication node 112 can also include user input 244 and user output248 devices. Examples of a user input 244 include a keyboard, a keypad,remote control, position encoder operated in association with a display,a touch screen, switch, microphone, or any other device capable ofreceiving input signals from a user. Examples of a user output deviceinclude a display, speaker, or indicator lamp.

As can be appreciated by one of skill in the art after consideration ofthe present disclosure, various functions and/or components of acommunication node 112 can be integral to the communication node 112, orcan be provided by separate devices. For instance, a communication node112 comprising a set-top box can operate in association with an endpoint122 comprising a television 124, such that the television 124 isoperated as a user output device 248. More particularly, the television124 in this example can be operated to display a user interface,generated by operation of the unified interface application 216 that ispresented to a user. Continuing the example of a communication node 112comprising a set-top box, a user input 244 can comprise a remote controldevice that provides a plurality of keys, implemented as hardware or,for example as a touch screen interface, that can accept control inputsfrom a user that are passed to the communication node 112, for examplevia a wireless infrared link between the remote control devicecomprising the input 244 and a communication interface 240 of thecommunication node 112. In accordance with still other embodiments, auser input 244 and user output 248 can be physically separate from thecommunication node 112, and ‘ can be combined in a single device. Forexample, an endpoint 122 or a further communication node comprising atablet computer 128 or other device 140 can provide a touch screeninterface that presents information generated by the unified interfaceapplication 216 to a user, and that accepts input from that user.Moreover, the tablet computer 128 can communicate with the communicationnode 112 via a wireless link, for example a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth link,established in association with a communication interface 240 of thecommunication node 112. Accordingly, a tablet computer 128 or otherendpoint 122 can perform at least some functions of a communication node112, including providing a user input 244 and/or a user output 248.Other examples of components or functions that can be providedseparately from a communication node 112 include a cable modem, forexample for interconnecting the data pipeline 116 to a local areanetwork to which endpoints such as a personal computer 128 areconnected.

FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary profile according to embodiments of thepresent invention. The exemplary profile 144 comprises one or more ofbusiness, personal, and entity information 304, communicationspreferences 308, personal preferences 312, payment information 316,vendor information 320, priority information 324, contextual preferencesand sub-profiles 328, alternate contact modalities 332, contactinformation 334, one or more trusted contacts 336, and/or otherinformation that defines or is related to a persona.

One or more of the personal, business and entity information 304 caninclude any information that a user would like to store. Examples ofpersonal information include name, address, credit card information,banking information, movie preferences, entertainment preferences,communications preferences, restaurant preferences, vendor preferences,billing preferences, and the like. Examples of business informationinclude preferred vendors, banking information, communicationspreferences, ordering or inventory information, employee information,payment information, accounting information, business managementinformation, or in general any information related to a business. Entityinformation can also include information about items such as groups ofindividuals, groups of businesses, or in general any entity that may notbe personal or business in nature. Interfaces can be provided thatprovide access to the information stored within the profile 144, andthis information can be edited, updated or deleted as appropriate. Theediting, updating or deleting of this information can be performed viaan interface on the communication node 112, or via any interfaceconnected to the communication node 112. This access to the informationwithin the profile 144 can be password protected, and the informationcan be transferred via or in accordance with well known encryptiontechniques and standards.

The communications preferences 308 provide to the user the ability tostore various types of communications preferences or modalities that candetermine not only the type of communication to use to access the user,e.g., video, chat, email, IM, telephone, or the like, but that can alsobe used in conjunction with presence information and/or communicationrouting.

The personal preferences 312 are a set of rules related to personalpreferences associated with a particular user or user persona. Thesepersonal preferences 312 can relate to any functionality of the set-topbox, display characteristics of the communication node 112, operation ofthe communication node 112, or the like, and can be related to any oneor more of menu options, viewing preferences, communicationspreferences, contact preferences, set-top box management, or the like.In addition, personal preferences 312 can include general categories oflikes and dislikes, or other information that can be used to determinean affinity of a user or persona associated with the personal preference312 information with regard to various content, activities, scheduledevents, or other information that can be accessed in association withthe communication node 112.

Payment information 316 stores various information that can be used forpayment of goods and/or services ordered through or in conjunction withthe communication node 112. This payment information 316 can have ahigher security level than other types of information within the profile144, such that, for example, a password is required before the purchasefor goods and services can be made. Additionally, the paymentinformation 316 could be limited to use by the content/service provider108.

Vendor information 320 can include such information as preferredvendors, vendors who should not be used, historical purchaseinformation, account information, reference information associated witha particular vendor, or in general any information associated with avendor. When new vendors are utilized, new information can be added tothe vendor information 320 and stored as part of the profile 144. Inaddition, the vendor information 320 can be dynamic such that as, forexample, a user accesses a particular vendors website, accountinformation can be populated into the vendor information 320 such asorder placed, remaining balance, special offerings, or in general anyinformation associated with that particular vendor.

Priority information 324 includes any information, such as rules, thatcan be used to assist with prioritizing certain activities,applications, or in general, any functionality associated with thecommunication node 112. This priority information 324 could also be usedin conjunction with the personal preference information 312 to assistwith determining prioritization of certain activities.

The contextual preferences and sub-profiles 328 establish preferencesbased on context that could also be categorized as sub-profilesdepending upon, for example, a particular application being run on thecommunication node 112. As with the other types of information, thecontextual preferences 328 can be used by the unified interfaceapplication 216 to provide dynamic application behavior.

The alternate contact modalities 332 outline various contact modalitiesfor a particular user. These alternate contact modalities 332 can beused with the communication preference information 308, personalpreference information 312 and/or priority information 324 to assistwith completion of an incoming communication to an endpoint. Forexample, based on information in the alternate contact modalities, oneor more of a binding module and an SIP functionality module can beutilized to complete an incoming communication to an endpoint where theuser is located.

Contact information 334 may comprise the names and addresses ofindividuals or companies associated with the persona represented by aprofile 144. The addresses can be addresses for one or morecommunication modalities, and can include but are not limited totelephone numbers, email addresses, IM addresses, and IP addresses ofendpoints 122. The contact information 334 can include informationobtained from a user's electronic address book. Trusted contacts 336include information regarding one or more individuals or other entitiesincluded in the contact information 334 that are trusted. For example, acontact can be considered trusted if it is approved by thecontent/service provider 108. Additionally, an entity can be trusted if,for example, the user has had previous interactions with the entity andhas identified them it as being trusted. The trusted contacts 336 neednot be limited to businesses that sell goods and/or services, but canalso include entities such as schools, other individuals, or in generalany one or any entity that is identified as being trusted. For example,in a social networking environment, parents can establish rules that canidentify certain chat groups or other users that are trusted.

FIG. 4 is a depiction of an exemplary user interface 404 in accordancewith embodiments of the present invention. More particularly, the userinterface 404 can be generated by or in connection with the operation ofthe unified interface application 216. The user interface 404 can beprovided by a user output 248 integral to the communication node 112, orby an interconnected endpoint or other device 122, such as a television124, or tablet computer or other computing device 128 interconnected tothe communication node 112. The user interface 404 includes differentitems of information. Moreover, the user interface 404 is interactive,and can be manipulated in response to input by a user, for example, byreceiving input through the user input device 244 comprising a positionencoder or, where the user interface 404 is provided as part of a touchscreen display, for example as part of a tablet computer 128, variousitems of information can be moved, accessed, selected, or otherwisemanipulated directly.

In accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention,the user interface 404 can include a rolodex or menu comprising listingsof selectable items of information. More particularly, a first rolodexor listing 408 can include a number of status tiles, small windows oricons 410 that present information regarding content currently beingaccessed or that have been accessed in the past in connection with theoperation of the communication node 112 and the data pipeline or link116. This information can include a title or brief description of thecontent and an associated endpoint 122. In accordance with exemplaryembodiments of the present invention, the status tiles 410 provided aspart of the first rolodex or collection of information 408 can compriseprograms being viewed. For example, a first program may be playing on afirst TV, as presented by a first tile 410.1, and a second program maybe playing on a second TV, as represented by a second tile 410.2. Otheritems of information include information regarding current browsingsessions 410.3, 410.4, 410.5. Moreover, different status tiles 410 canbe provided with respect to different browser windows or tabs associatedwith a particular user or user device or computer 128. As anotherexample, browser history can be accessed in separate tiles 410.6. Statustiles 410 can also be provided to present information regardingin-progress digital voice sessions (i.e., voice telephony calls) or ahistorical record of such calls 410.7. As yet another example, statustiles 410 can be provided that contain information regarding recordedprograms 410.8, 410.9. Recorded programs can be the result of theoperation of the DVR function 220 of the communication node 112. Ingeneral, the status tiles 410 contain current or historical status tilesand therefore provide information relating to content that is beingviewed, has been viewed, or is available for viewing or otherwiseaccessing. In addition, the individual status tiles 410 can containinformation in addition to information identifying the contentgenerally. For example, information concerning the age appropriateness,subject matter, associated user or persona, endpoint 122, or otherinformation can be included. Moreover, at least some of this informationcan be displayed in a default state, while other items of informationcan be accessed by selecting or otherwise drilling down into theassociated information, for example by clicking on or otherwiseselecting an individual tile in the first rolodex 408. In accordancewith still other embodiments of the present invention, the content towhich a tile in the first rolodex 408 is related can be represented bypresenting a frame, screen scrape, series of frames, or otherrepresentation of the actual content in the associated tile.Accordingly, historical and/or current status information regardingcontent that has or is being accessed by a communication node 112, orthat is available to the communication node 112, regarding a pluralityof items of content obtained in connection with a plurality of differentservices made available over a simple data pipeline 116 can be displayedsimultaneously.

By selecting a status tile 410, a user can access additional informationabout the represented content. For example, the user can access detailsabout the television programming, alternate broadcast times, the historyof browsing sessions, the history of incoming and outgoing voicetelephony calls, details about recorded programs, etc. Moreover, thesedetails can include information used to generate affinity scores throughthe application of user profiles 144. Accordingly, the user interface404 provides a means by which a user can select, interact with, ormanipulate content.

A second rolodex or listing of information 412 can also be provided. Inaccordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, thesecond rolodex 412 can include pop-ups in the form of suggestion tilesor small windows 416 that are displayed in response to activityregarding content and/or personas associated with the communication node112. The suggestion tiles 416 presented in the second rolodex 412 cancomprise dynamic pop-ups to alert a user to other activity that theviewing user may wish to participate in, or take action in regard to.For example, based on information in the profile 144 for the user's thenactive persona, an affinity of that persona with respect to items ofcontent that are active or available in the first rolodex 408 can begenerated. As examples, different items of suggested content 416.1 and416.2 can be presented. As a particular example, if a first user iswatching a television program, for instance as indicated in a firststatus tile 410.1, a suggestion tile 416.1 can be generated by theunified interface application 216 as a pop-up to indicate suggestedcontent and the predicted affinity of the user for that content. Theassociation of the content suggested by the suggestion tile 416.1 can beidentified by applying information maintained in the profile 144 of thecurrently selected persona. In addition, the information in the profile144 can be compared to information regarding the television programmingrepresented in the status tile 410.1. Such information can include thesubject matter of the programming, theme, or other information that canbroaden a user's understanding of the programming, provide backgroundinformation and context, or other subject matter related information. Asanother example, the suggestion tile 416.1 can provide relatedinformation. For instance, information about ratings associated with theprogramming, or suggestions for other, related programming.

The suggestion tiles 416 can also include suggestions of activities thata user may wish to participate in. For instance, a suggested activitycan be presented in a suggestion tile 416.3, based on the affinitypredicted for that activity from the content being accessed by a user. Asuggested activity could be some activity, such as a broadcast, liveevent, or the like that is in progress or scheduled to occur, and thatis related to the programming, the subject of the programming, orotherwise related to that programming that is presented in a suggestedactivity tile 416.3. Other examples of suggested activities includesubscribing to news feeds or newsletters, making a reservation to attendan event, booking travel and lodging in association with an event orother activities.

Other suggestion tiles 416 can include alerts regarding contentrepresented in a status tile 410 as that content relates to particularusers. Accordingly, a suggestion tile 416 can be presented to a firstuser regarding activity conducted by a second user. As an example, aparent (user 1) may be presented with a pop-up tile 416.4 to alert theparent that a child in a household containing and operating thecommunication node 112 (user 2) is accessing programming, web pages, orother content that may be age inappropriate. For each of the suggestiontiles, an affinity rating can be displayed. In the example suggestiontiles 416, the affinity rating is numeric. However, other scales can beused, such as a star rating.

The user interface 404 also allows the user to access detailedinformation regarding the suggestions presented in suggestion tiles 416.For example, by selecting a suggestion tile, a user can accessadditional detail. Such detail can include additional information aboutthe suggested content, event, or other subject of the suggestion, thebasis for the affinity finding, or the like. By selecting a suggestiontile 416, a user can also access the suggested content or take actionwith respect to a suggested activity. For instance, by selecting asuggestion tile 416.1 that suggests a particular website to a user, theuser can view that website. The rendering of the website can replace theuser interface display 404, can be presented as a sub-frame or window aspart of the display 404, or can be displayed on an affiliated device.For instance, where the user interface 404 is displayed by a tabletcomputer 128 in communication with a communication node 112, a selectionto view a website can replace programming that was previously beingviewed on a television 124, or the programming and the website can bepresented simultaneously by the television 124. As another example,television programming being viewed can continue to be displayed by thetelevision 124, while the selected webpage can be displayed on apersonal computer 128 selected by the user. With respect to activities,selection can result in presenting the user with a tillable form toenable the user to take further action with respect to the activity, forexample registering to participate in the activity.

Status tiles 410 and/or suggestion tiles 416 can be presented as groupsof related items. For example, items of content represented by tiles 410and/or 416 can be presented in groups where the group members arerelated to one another by topic, series, program, or predefined group.

In accordance with still other embodiments of the present invention,contact groups 420 can be generated. In particular, contact groups 420can be generated through an analysis of user contacts maintained ascontact information 334 in a profile 144. Various criteria can beapplied to identify appropriate members for the group 420. Such criteriacan include level of trust, social media association, geographicallocation, and likes or dislikes of the contacts, or other informationthat can be used to identify the affinities of contacts with respect tocontent passed through or handled by the communication node 112. Basedon common attributes or affinities, suggested groups 420 can be createdthrough operation of the unified communication interface application216, and presented to the user by the user interface 404.

In addition to suggested groups, the unified interface application 216can also store and/or access groups defined by a user, for example thatare stored as part of a user profile 144. Some or all of a user'spredefined groups 420 can also be displayed by the user interface 404.

In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the userinterface 404 can feature a spotlight 424. The spotlight 424 can be usedto initiate actions, and to provide a representation of currentactivities. More particularly, a spotlight 424 can be used to initiatereal time communications, such as voice telephony communications, and toprovide a representation of ongoing communications. Accordingly, in theexample figure, a status tile or icon 428 is presented in the spotlight424, indicating that the user is engaged in a real time communicationsession with an individual. For example, the user can be engaged in areal time conversation using an endpoint comprising a telephone 136 thatis interconnected to the communication node 112. The user can addconference participants by, for example, dragging contacts from a group420, or from a global list of contacts, and dropping it into thespotlight 424. In accordance with still other embodiments, other actionscan be performed by dragging items into or out of the spotlight 424.

In addition to the spotlight 424, embodiments of the invention provide awarm light 432. The warm light 432 is created by operation of theunified interface application 216 and facilitates and suggests actionsthat a user may wish to take with respect to contacts. In accordancewith embodiments of the invention, the creation of a warm light 432 canbe triggered by any interaction involving the user or a member of thecontacts group 420 placed in the warm light. Moreover, multiple warmlights 432 can be presented simultaneously by the user interface 404. Asan example of the creation and use of a warm light 432, an audio cast orother content may have been distributed to members of a group 420.Whether that group 420 is created automatically through operation of theunified interface application 216, manually by the user, or acombination of automatic and manual means, the unified interfaceapplication 216 can place the group 420.2 in the warm light 432. Thisaction provides an indication to the user that some event (in thisexample the distribution of an audio cast) has occurred with respect tothe members of the group, and suggests that the user may wish to takeadditional action with respect to some or all of the group members as aresult. Moreover, since in this example the second group 420.2 has beenplaced in a warm light 432, but the first group 420.1 has not, a visualindication is provided that suggests that the user is more likely towant to take some action with respect to the second group 420.2 than thefirst group 420.1. The user can then select the group 420.2 that hasbeen placed in the warm light 432 by operation of the unified interfaceapplication 216 if additional action is desired. The selection of thegroup 420.2 can present additional options from which the user mayselect. Such additional options can include participating in aconference call with the group, posting information to the groupmembers, accessing information posted to the group, etc. Moreover, theexecution of the action can be triggered by moving the group to thespotlight 424.

In accordance with embodiments of the invention, the user interface 404can provide or display alternate configurations. For example, asillustrated in FIG. 5, a first rolodex or listing 408 can comprisecontent tiles 504 that each represent individual items of content.Moreover, the content tiles 504 can be arranged in groups 508. Forexample, a first group 508 a may include items of content that have atopic in common. Moreover, the items of content can be of the same ordifferent content types. For instance, a first item of content 504.1 cancomprise a television program, a second item of content 504.2 cancomprise content available through the web, and a third item of content504.3 can comprise a recorded program.

As a further example, a second grouping of content 508 b can includeitems of content from or associated with a television series, differentitems of content related to a movie, episodes of a series ormini-series, a game themed according to the series, or programming,commentary, or other content related to a series. For instance, a firstitem of content 504.4 can comprise a first episode of a serializedprogram, and a second item of content 504.5 can comprise the secondepisode of that series. A third item of content 504.6 in the seriesgroup 508 b can comprise web content, for example in the form of a linkto a webpage. A third item of content 504.7 can comprise a recordedprogram, for example from the series, or a program commenting on orotherwise related to the series. A fourth item of content 504.8 cancomprise an in-progress game or a recorded portion of a game played bythe user or a contact.

Another example of a grouping of content is an instructional group 508c. The instructional group 508 c can include items of content having acommon educational purpose or theme. For example, a broadcast programcan comprise a first item of content 504.9 in the third group 508 c. Thethird group 508 c can also include a link to a webpage 504.10, orrecorded programming 504.11.

A second rolodex or listing of information 412 in the example of FIG. 5can include users or contacts. Moreover, the users or contacts can bearranged in groups 420. The users or contacts included in the groups 420can be selected based on attributes of the members, for example throughshared affinity or association with social media groups, level of trust,geographical location, likes and dislikes of the included contacts, orother information. Moreover, the groups 420 and members of those groupscan be presented in response to selections entered by the user,preferences of the user and the group members, recent activity of theuser, or other criteria.

The user interface 404 can additionally include a number of selectableactions 512. The selectable actions 512 can include actions that theuser can select with respect to particular items of content 504, groups420, and/or individual contacts or group members. Particular actions 512that can be selected include a link action 516, to provide a link to anitem of content 504 to a user or user group 420, a share action 520 toshare selected content or portions of content 504 with a user or usergroup 420, or a notify action 524 to provide notification of theavailability of an item of content 504 to a user or user group 420.Other examples of actions 512 include actions that enable the user toestablish communications with one or more members of a group 420, tomanipulate content 504, or other actions.

A spotlight 424 can be included for use in connection with initiatingvarious actions 512 or other activities. For example, a user can chooseto share a portion of a program, for example as represented by theprogram tile 504.1 by selecting the program tile 504.1 and dragging itinto the spotlight 424. In accordance with further embodiments, the usercan select a portion of the program, for example by selecting a seriesof frames from the program, a slice or block of time for the program, orsome other selection of a portion of the program, and then dragging theselected portion or portions to the spotlight 424. The users or contactswith respect to which the selected content 504 is shared can be selectedby moving a group 420 or selected members of a group 420 to thespotlight 424. The mode of sharing 512 can be selected through theselection of the associated action 512.

FIG. 6 illustrates a further exemplary configuration of a user interface404 in accordance with embodiments of the disclosed invention. In thisconfiguration, the first 408 and second 412 rolodexes, and theselectable actions 512, are the same in kind as illustrated in FIG. 5.However, in the example of FIG. 6, the spotlight 424 provides arepresentation of an in-process, real time multimedia communicationthrough a multimedia dialogue box 604. More particularly, the multimediadialogue box 604 includes a representation 608 of each participant inthe communication. In accordance with further embodiments of the presentinvention, the communication session can be established and/or managedby providing input to the unified interface application 216 through auser input/output 244, 248 comparing the user interface 404. One of therepresented participants can be the local user who interacts directlywith the user interface 404. More particularly, the representation 608of each participant includes the name of the participant 612, and anindication of the mode 616 by which the individual is participating inthe communication. The first participant, as represented in the firstparticipant tile 608.1, is further represented by an image 620 of thatparticipant. Moreover, this image 620 can be a video image of thatparticipant. Alternatively, a still image, avatar or icon can bedisplayed. Similarly, the second participant, as represented in thesecond participant tile 608.2, can be represented by a video image 620.In this example, the third participant, as represented in the thirdparticipant tiles 608.3, is participating via text. Accordingly, speechcomprising an audio portion of the communication session can betransformed, for example via an automatic speech recognition (ASR)function to text. This text 624, as provided to the third participant,can be displayed in the tile 608.3. Accordingly, the operation of theautomatic speech recognition function can be monitored by theparticipants (e.g., the first and second participants) who also receivethe original audio.

In accordance with further embodiments of the disclosed invention, auser can select content, for example by selecting displayed items ofcontent 504, for delivery or notification to other participants in acommunication session, for example as represented by a multimediadialogue box 604. Accordingly, by dragging a selected item of content tothe spotlight 424, a user can share that content in some form with otherusers participating in a communication session. The mode of sharing canbe indicated by selecting a particular action 512. In accordance withfurther embodiments of the disclosed invention, the shared content canbe available to the participants of the communication sessionimmediately. Moreover, the mode in which the shared content is availableto individual participants can be varied based on the capabilities ofdevices or communication endpoints available to the users with whom thecontent is shared at that time. For instance, where the content beingshared is a selected portion of a television program, that content mightbe displayed to a first user in high definition video and audio, to thesecond user as standard definition video and audio, and to the thirduser as a textual representation. In accordance with still otherembodiments, the availability of content to selected users and/or theformat in which content is rendered can be determined, at least in part,by the permissions or rights held by individual users selected toreceive the content.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating aspects of the operation of a system100 in accordance with embodiments of the invention. Initially, thesystem 100 is started, for example a user brings up the user interface404 on a tablet computer 128 interconnected to the communication node112 by initiating execution of the user interface application 216 (step704). At step 708, the user selects a profile 144 to apply. Inparticular, a user may have the option of selecting from any number ofprofiles 144, to reflect different users of the communication node 112,or different personas of a user. At step 712, the status tiles 410 arepopulated and displayed by the user interface 404. The status tiles 410generally provide current and/or historical status information regardingcontent provided or available to endpoints 122 interconnected to thecommunication node 112 that are obtained over the communication link116. At step 716, the user interface application 216 applies theselected profile 144 to the activity that is in part represented by thestatus tiles 410, to generate suggestion tiles 416. The profile 144 isalso applied to generate suggested groups 420 (step 720). The suggestedgroups can be generated from an analysis of the selected profile 144,content represented in the status tiles 410, or derived from thesuggestion tiles 416. The suggested groups can be presented by one ormore group tiles 420. In addition or as an alternative to the selectionof a profile 144 by a user interacting with a user interface 404directly, one or more profiles 144 can be selected automatically, andmultiple profiles 144 can be applied simultaneously. For example, aprofile 144 for each user accessing content can be applied to therespective content in order to generate affinity scores, gaugeappropriateness of the content for the user, etc.

At step 724, a determination is made as to whether a tile 410, 416 orgroup 420 has been selected. If a tile 410, 416 or group 420 has beenselected, additional detail and/or menus of actions that can be takenwith respect to the content or information represented by the selectedtile is presented (step 728). Examples of detailed information that canbe presented include details of the programming, such as summaryinformation, identification of creators, actors or other individualsconnected to the content, age ratings and the like. Where a status tile410 is selected that is presenting current status information, theselection of that tile can provide an option to access historicalinformation, for example regarding content accessed by an associatedendpoint 122. With respect to a status tile comprising a browsersession, an option may be provided to view a historical listing of sitesvisited during the session. Moreover, an option to view frames or screenscrapes associated with selected content can be made. Actions that canbe taken include viewing the content on an endpoint 122 associated withthe user, blocking access to the content by selected endpoints 122,adding the content or an attribute of the content to a watch list, orthe like.

Actions that can be taken where a suggestion tile 416 is selectedincludes changing a rating with respect to affinities, viewing criteriaused to determine an affinity, accessing suggested content, or the like.Moreover, taking action with respect to a suggestion tile 416 caninclude dragging the tile 416 into the spotlight 424, for example toinitiate viewing suggested content or to initiate a suggested action.

At step 730, a determination is made as to whether a group 420 or groupmember has been selected. If a group 420 or group member has beenselected, a selected action can be initiated with respect to the contactor contacts (step 732). For example, a voice telephony call to aselected contact or group of contact can be initiated. Moreover, theselection of a group 420 or member of a group can include selecting anddragging the group to the spotlight 424. Moreover, where the group 420has been placed within a warm light 432, by selecting the warm light 432additional action can be taken. For example, by selecting and draggingthe warm light 432 into the spotlight 424, an activity suggested by thewarm light 432 with respect to the group can be initiated. For instance,a chat session involving the group can be joined by the user. Aftertaking action with respect to a selected contact or group, or afterdetermining that a selection of a group or contact member has not beenmade, a determination can be made as to whether the user has elected todiscontinue display of the user interface 404 (step 736). If the userhas selected to discontinue the display, the process may end.Alternatively, the process can return to step 508, where a user canchange an apply profile 144 if desired.

In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a userinterface application 216 can operate with respect to a plurality ofprofiles 144 simultaneously and regardless of whether a user interface404 is currently being displayed. Accordingly, a user interfaceapplication 216 can operate to collect historical information and todetermine suggested affinities even while a user interface 404 is notbeing displayed.

Embodiments of the disclosed invention have application in connectionwith user activity and social networks. For example, suggestionspresented in one or more suggestion tiles 416 can suggest interactionswith other users, either locally (i.e., connected to a commoncommunication node 112 by a connected endpoint 122) or over a wider area(e.g., interconnected to one another via a network 120 and/orcontent/service provider 108). Moreover, such interactivity can besuggested with respect to groups 420 or individual contacts. As anexample, a suggested group 420 can be populated based on a determinedaffinity for a television program. Based on a record of program episodesviewed by a user, for example stored as part of a user profile 144, asuggestion to interact with a group member (a contact) who is watching anext episode of the programming can be made. This suggestion can be inthe form of placing the group 420 within a warm light 432. Moreover, thegroup 420 in this example can contain a single contact. The user canthen initiate communications with the contact, for example by draggingand dropping or sweeping the warm light 432 and the included group 420into the spotlight 424, or by selecting the contact included in thegroup and further selecting a communication mode.

FIG. 8 illustrates additional aspects of the operation of a system 100in accordance with embodiments of the invention. At step 804, after thesystem 100 has been started, the user interface application 216 operatesto identify groupings of related content. The generation of contentgroups 508 can be performed in response to selections entered in theuser profile 144 for a current user interfacing with the user interface404. Alternatively or in addition, the content groups 508 can begenerated in response to input received from the user. At step 808, theuser interface application 216 displays content tiles 504 arranged ingroups 508. At step 812, the user interface application 216 generatessuggested contact groups 420. The suggested groups 420 can identifyother users or contacts having one or more common affinities. Forexample, a first group 420 can include individuals that each have anaffinity for a particular television series. As another example, asecond group 420 can include individuals that each are members of adepartment within an organization. In addition, individual users orcontacts can be included in more than one group 420.

At step 816, a determination is made as to whether a particularselection of content 504 has been associated with a selected group orsubgroup of contacts (i.e., recipients). In particular, items of contentcan be selected in their entirety, or limited portions of that contentcan be selected. Similarly, entire groups or one or more members from agroup or groups can be selected to receive content. If no selection ofcontent has been associated with selected recipients, the process canidle at step 816 until such a selection has been made. If a selection ofcontent and one or more recipients has been made, a determination isnext made as to whether an action indicating a particular mode ofsharing 512 has been selected and whether any recipients have restrictedcapabilities for accessing the content (step 820). If a particular modeof sharing has been selected and/or if a recipient has restrictedcapabilities, the content can be rendered, transformed, or arepresentation of the content can be created in compliance with theselected mode or user restriction (step 824). For example, if a link tothe content or a summary of the content is to be shared, that link orsummary is prepared. After determining the mode of sharing andidentifying any restricted capabilities or rights, and providingmodified content if appropriate, the content is provided or madeavailable to the recipients (step 828).

As discussed herein, content can be modified from its original form,according to the capabilities and/or permissions of a selected recipientor contact. For example, a contact selected to receive content that isassociated with a mobile device may be provided with content that isdelivered as standard definition video, even though the original contentis in the form of high definition video. As another example, a user orcontact selected to receive an item of content comprising video thatdoes not have a suitable device available may be provided with a link tothat content or a textual summary of that content, rather than thecontent itself, as a result of the limitations of the selected contact'sdevice, even though that contact has permission to access the fullcontent. The capabilities of a recipient's device or endpoint (e.g.,endpoint 122) can be determined from presence information related to theselected recipient. Moreover, the capabilities of a communication devicecurrently available to a selected recipient can be determined frommultimedia dialogue box 508 information, for instance where the selectedrecipient is participating in a communication with a user of the userinterface 404.

Although certain examples described herein have discussed a dedicatedcommunication node 112, alternate configurations are possible. Forexample, various components shown as being included in a dedicatedcommunication node 112 can be provided by or incorporated into one ormore other devices. For example, a communication node 112 can beimplemented entirely within a personal computer. As another example, acommunication node 112 that provides various supportive communicationinterfaces 240, but that has limited or no processing capabilities canbe provided. In such embodiments, some or all of the processing, forexample the execution of the unified interface application 216, can beperformed on an associated device, such as a personal computer 128 orother endpoint, or by a server, for example provided by the contentservice provider 108. In addition, various of the operations describedherein can be performed in association with other devices. For example,information regarding the status or presence of contacts can be providedby trusted entities 104 and/or the content/service provider 108.Accordingly, various functions and components can be distributed invarious ways.

The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented forpurposes of illustration and description. Further, the description isnot intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein.Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the aboveteachings, within the skill or knowledge of the relevant art, are withinthe scope of the present invention. The embodiments describedhereinabove are further intended to explain the best mode presentlyknown of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in theart to utilize the invention in such or in other embodiments and withvarious modifications required by the particular application or use ofthe invention. It is intended that the appended claims be construed toinclude alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the priorart.

1. A method for sharing content, comprising: displaying at a first nodea representation of at least a first item of content; receiving at afirst node a selection by a first user of the first item of content;displaying at the first node a representation of at least a second user;receiving at the first node a selection by the first user of the seconduser as a recipient of the first item of content; providing at least oneof the first item of content, a link to the first item of content, orinformation related to the first item of content to the first recipientof the first item of content.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereindisplaying a representation of a first item of content includesdisplaying a series of frames of video content included in the firstitem of content, and wherein the selection by the first user of thefirst item of content includes a selection of a series of frames of thevideo content.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the firstitem of content includes altering a format of the first item of contentfor rendering by a second node associated with the selected firstrecipient.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first item of contentis represented as one of a plurality of items of content that arerelated to one another by topical group, series group, or predefinedgroup.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of thesecond user includes a representation of a group of users that includesthe second user.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the selection by thefirst user of the second user as a recipient of the first item ofcontent is made as part of a selection by the first user of the group ofusers.
 7. A communication node, comprising: a display; a user input; acommunication interface; memory; a processor; application programmingstored on the memory and executed by the processor, wherein theapplication programming is operative to cause the display to provide:representations of each of a plurality of items of content;representations of each of a plurality of users; a representation of afirst communication session; a representation of the users included inthe plurality of users that are participating in the first communicationsession, wherein the application programming is further operative toprovide at least one of a selected item of content or informationrelated to a selected item of content to a user in response to a controlsignal provided by a user through the user input.
 8. The communicationnode of claim 7, further comprising: a communication pipeline, whereinthe communication node is interconnected to the communication pipelineby the communication interface, wherein the communication node receivesat least one of the selected item of content or the information relatedto the selected item of content from a content provider interconnectedto the communication pipeline.
 9. The communication node of claim 8,wherein the first communication session is at least partiallyestablished over the communication pipeline.
 10. The communication nodeof claim 9, wherein the at least one of the first content or theinformation related to the first content is delivered to at least afirst user included in the plurality of users from the communicationnode using the communication pipeline.
 11. A method, comprising:establishing a first communication link between a first user and asecond user as part of a first communication session, wherein the firstcommunication session includes the first and second user; presenting tothe first user at a first node a representation of a status of the firstcommunication link, wherein the representation includes a representationof the first user and a mode of communication utilized by the first userwith respect to the first communication link, wherein the representationincludes a representation of the second user and a mode of communicationutilized by the second user with respect to the first communicationlink.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: establishing asecond communications link between at least the first user and a thirduser as part of the first communications session, wherein the firstcommunications session includes the first user, the second user, and thethird user.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first communicationslink is of a first type, and wherein the second communications link isof a second type.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second userand the third user are part of a first group of contacts.
 15. The methodof claim 14, further comprising: presenting to the first user adepiction of the first group of contacts.
 16. The method of claim 15,further comprising: presenting to the first user a depiction of at leasta first item of content.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:receiving input from the first user associating at least the first itemof content with the first group of contacts.
 18. The method of claim 17,further comprising: receiving input from the first user related to anaction with respect to the first item of content and the first group ofcontacts.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the action with respect tothe first item of content and the first group of contacts includes atleast one of providing members of the group with a link to the firstitem of content, providing members of the group with at least a portionof the first item of content, providing members of the group withinformation about the first item of content.
 20. The method of claim 13,further comprising: presenting to the first user at the first node arepresentation of a status of the second communication link, wherein therepresentation includes a representation of the third user and a mode ofcommunication utilized by the third user with respect to the secondcommunication link, wherein the representation of the status of thesecond communication includes text generated as part of a text to speechfunction, and wherein the representation of a status of the firstcommunications link includes a live video representation of the seconduser.